Gospel musician are not real musician

[themidiroom]

There are always a bunch of 'beast' working at guitar center

Lucky for Guitar Center that I'm not good enough as a musician to work there.        I don't even think they get a commission.

[THE WOLFMAN]

mane pleeze,i did a 10 yr bid at Sam Ash.....(back when u can make a living off of it...)

One good thing is you get to learn more(if you're willing) and you get discounts on gear. In some cases, free gear. Free plugins. Free software.....

[Joshua Coleman]

Lets skip the small talk. All the real Gospel Musicians lets stand together and show the world and the church. No matter what they label us, God is the only one that approves us. Gospel Musicians Stand Up I Am With Every Gospel Musicians. Together we stand divide we fall.  I am a true G.M.

[Joshua Coleman]

Man that happens so often. I will let the young cat with the strong desire play over a blazing cat any day.

I agree with you. Thats how I became a musician at my chruch. Don't look at the skill look at the spirit.

[jayblove]

Wow!!!

That would have made me mad

[slburks]

Kindly point out to that person that classical music is "worldly" music too. Biblical/theological/doctrinal ignorance; the devil is a liar.

[Blackwiz87]

What I don't understand is why certain styles of music are considered worldly music? So if the world decided to adopt the hymn styles of music, does that mean us gospel musicians can't play those anymore? That man took what he classifies as gospel music and what he classifies as worldly music and tried to make an argument on how gospel musicians are trying to mix gospel with the world...but he failed miserably.


Now I looked up the definition of "musician" and this is what I come up with

musician: One who composes, conducts, or performs music, especially instrumental music


So since when does one have to read music to be considered a musician?



And to comment on the whole playing for money. Well I don't play for money because I don't really play for my church anymore. Since they found out I could sing, I sing more in the choir while another younger pianist(who I would say is more skilled than me) plays. But back to my point, I'd play for free..but when I get so good(skill wise) to the point I can play with the best of them...and then Im required to travel everywhere with the church, play sunday mornings and nights...midweek services...special events....well, would it be wrong for me to get paid? Would it be wrong for me to expect pay?


Playing piano is a gift just like any other gift. God blesses everyone with gifts. Some can play instruments...and guess what...some can design houses. Some can argue up a storm, and are therefore great lawyers. Some people are people persons and make great social workers. Some people are athletic and skilled in certain sports. Some people can sell a microphone to a mime, and are therefore great salesmen. Some people can act their butt off. Some people can teach and they just know how to put things together for others to understand. Some people are great with their hands and can build, put things together. Some people are computer smart.



My point is that those are all gifts. Should I not want to get paid for using my gift of teaching? Or sales? Or my ability to understand technology?

I cannot work at telemarketing jobs because I just suck on phones. Some people are GREAT on those jobs.They just know how to talk to people. Yes that sounds little, but believe it or not, thats a gift. Some people know how to talk to people on phones. Its all the same. In those jobs, as lawyers and accountants and teachers, we go after the higher paying jobs. People think when you do something church related, that its a different story. Its not about the church. Its about God. Its about our relationship with God and thats a broad topic and that can be interpreted deeply.


Now when you do something in the spirit, it should be clean. You shouldn't be playing for God and when they money gets low, you get pissy. But is it not possible for one to play for one church and get paid and they play in the true holy ghost spirit with an anointing...then a bigger church offers them more money...they are still doing Gods job and using their God given gift, while getting more money. Does accepting that job mean they aren't playing in the spirit and are incapable of doing that anymore?



THINK ABOUT IT...and I'll be happy to respond to comments because Im sure im gonna get flamed by someone lol....or at least, some will disagree

[kodacolor]

I don't know if this has been said yet but here goes:

Thomas A Dorsey, who was a famous jazz player, started gospel music.  He put jazz, the popular music at the time, to gospel lyrics.  In his day he was run out of church for "that devil music" or whatever.  Gospel artists of today (gospel rappers inparticularly) are going through the same thing.  The irony, I think, is what was once seen as blasphemy is now seen as what Gospel music is supposed to be.   

You can apply 1 Corinthans 9:1-23 to this entire situation.

[T-Block]

Kindly point out to that person that classical music is "worldly" music too. Biblical/theological/doctrinal ignorance; the devil is a liar.

So true cuz most classical music was composed for the church anyway.

[organman88]

many people think Gospel musicians are not real musicians because most if not all of them play by ear but really you need some theory to play by ear also. many musicians think because they hear a chord or a note on a song and it takes them forever to find the note or the chord they think thats playing by ear when its really not. Playing by ear is a skill that is driven from the major scale and it has to be learned just like reading music.

[floaded27]

the sad part about it is that while all of us here are making these counterpoints to what was said, the ones who represent this negative stereotype are the ones who get seen. the biggest question is how do we stay humble and honorable as we are, but get what we do and how we operate seen and exposed to the masses?


the world thinks that the pastor is pimping the church, but that seems to be the pastor that the world always sees. the world thinks that musicians are play-for-pay and arent saved, but thats the musician that the world always sees, etc. so how do WE get seen so they know there's another side to the coin?

[Somereeds]

Some people are just ignorant.  I am from VA, and my 18-year-old daughter just completed her first year at an HBCU in NC, majoring in Music Education.  She has played the cello for over 7 years, and the last 4 of the 7 years was spent in a Music Magnet High School that had everything from Music History, all levels of Theory, and more.  She has played piano by ear with me at our church, but she already knew theory.  God is being glorified in our church and she is annointed by God to play several instruments.  Neither of us is paid, but if we go out and someone gives an offering for the music, I make sure she gets it.

I said that to say this: Her piano teacher at the HBCU said that Gospel shouldn't even be played on a piano, in the sense that the music desecrates the piano!

My daughter was audibly upset, but I told her do what you have to so you can do well in the class and ignore the rest.....in other words, "Take the meat, and throw away the bone!" Everyone has an opinion, including the rest of us playing for God.

My daughter was required to audition for entry into the program, and auditioned so well that she recieved a partial scholarship to boot in a program that doesn't get strong funding from most Universities.....and yeah, she's a gospel musician.  In addition, at 3 of the universities she tested in Music Theory and was designated to Advanced/3rd or 4th year college Theory. 

Again, some people are so ignorant.  If they don't understand, or can't scientifically prove something, they nullify everything about something.....People, eat your meat and you know what to do with the bones. 

[Fenix]

Only difference between gospel musicians and classically trained musicians is that classical musicians write what they hear in their head and gospel musicians don't.

Both technically play by ear except the classical guy bothers to write it down while the gospel guy doesn't.

[momuzik]

Only difference between gospel musicians and classically trained musicians is that classical musicians write what they hear in their head and gospel musicians don't.

Both technically play by ear except the classical guy bothers to write it down while the gospel guy doesn't.

good point!

[T-Block]

Only difference between gospel musicians and classically trained musicians is that classical musicians write what they hear in their head and gospel musicians don't.

Both technically play by ear except the classical guy bothers to write it down while the gospel guy doesn't.

Don't speak for all gospel musicians. I write all my music down.

[Mrandrew]

Don't speak for all gospel musicians. I write all my music down.

I do the same after forgetting tons of progression.

[T-Block]

I do the same after forgetting tons of progression.

Which is why I write everything down cuz I know I will forget.

[Fenix]

Don't speak for all gospel musicians. I write all my music down.

Oh yeah i forgot about hybrids like you. 

[T-Block]

Oh yeah i forgot about hybrids like you. 

HAHAHAHAHA, hyrids.

[tymo70]

Music is music. Even the ice cream truck can play music. It may not be the music he has a problem with, but the message and or the messenger. He may have tried to play gospel and it sounded like acid rock.